Near-UV photolysis of μ- dibromotetrabromodipalladate(II) in chloroform

Broadband (λ > 320 nm) irradiation of (Bu4N)2Pd2Br6 in chloroform causes the conversion of to . During the conversion, chloroform is decomposed photocatalytically at a rate that accelerates then decelerates as coordinated bromines are replaced by chlorines. The primary bromine-containing product is CCl3Br. The observations are consistent with a mechanism in which and the intermediate complexes undergo homolytic photodissociation of a bromine or chlorine atom, which terminates with a trichloromethyl radical or abstracts a hydrogen from chloroform, respectively.